The Right Way to Pack a Carry-On Bag

From scarves to snacks, here are the things you need to make your next flight as comfortable, entertaining, relaxing, and delicious as possible.

Even though it’s been around for over a century, air travel is still, to us at least, a magical thing. There’s just something incredible about getting on a plane, settling in, and stepping off in another place, whether that’s Australia or Ann Arbor. But let’s face it: Air travel can also be a stressful, sometimes unpleasant, sometimes downright infuriating experience. But it doesn’t have to be. While we can’t promise your next flight will be free from wailing infants, seat kickers, and turbulence (and we can’t offer you an upgrade to business class, sorry!), we can help you to put together a carry-on bag that’ll keep you cozy, hydrated, entertained, and organized. After all, there’s so much of air travel that’s out of your control (see the wailing infants mentioned above), doesn’t it make sense to take care with the things you do have a say in?

First things first: make sure you have the right bag. We’re obsessed with Lotuff—what’s not to love about a family-owned, American made brand that handcrafts exquisite leather bags that will last you a lifetime—and have found that their Working Tote ticks all our carry-on boxes. Roomy? Check. Sturdy? Check. Easy to carry? Check? Utterly luxurious and able to instantly elevate any outfit to the ideal level of laid-back chic? Check, check check. For a carry-on you’ll want to tote throughout your trip, you really can’t go wrong (especially if you opt for one in subtly striking forest green).

As for what to pack, we like to think of your carry-on as your personal flight attendant: its contents should keep you fed, hydrated, comfortable, and entertained (and you don’t even have to hit the call button). On the comfort front, we rely on a few key pieces. To ward off cabin chills, editorial assistant Meredith Carey always packs a pair of fuzzy socks, and associate editor Katherine LaGrave never travels without a scarf, which can do double duty as a pillow in a pinch. Photo editor Corrie Vierregger keeps migraines from ruining a flight by remembering to bring a bottle of headache medicine, and digital executive editor Maura Walters makes moisturizing a priority with an ever-present tube of lip balm and a water bottle she can refill during the trip. For entertainment, we say why risk a fuzzy screen or worse—terrible in-flight movie options. Digital deputy editor Laura Redman swears by her Klipsch noise-canceling ear buds (“Perfect for people with tiny ears,” she says), and always travels with a tablet, be it a Kindle, iPad, or Kindle Fire. And to make sure she doesn’t run out of juice mid-flight, editor Lilit Marcus carries a portable charger with her.

And what about me—nervous flier who loves being organized and hates being hungry? I store all my important documents in one place, in this case a Lotuff Tripp bag. It’s big enough to hold my passport, my phone, my ticket, my cash, and my cards. It’s easy to spot so I can find it easily when I need to, and it doubles as crossbody bag for evenings out once I’ve landed. I always bring toothpaste and a toothbrush, since it’s the one thing I want to do once I’ve checked in to my hotel, and I always, always bring snacks. And not just any snacks, but the kind that can stand up to my senses being dulled on the plane. A spicy, savory bag of chips (bonus if they’re Bloody Mary-flavored) and a rich peanut buttery granola bar (made with olive oil and sea salt), are my go-to treats. And finally, I bring my constant travel companion, Smalls, a pint-sized stuffed hedgehog who is my stress relief when turbulence gets the better of me. If you’re not a fearful traveler, you can certainly skip this item, but I’ll never leave home without him. Check out the video below to see all our picks (and Smalls) in action.